Business Research & Insights

Generational wealth transfer can be a challenge for any family but on the land the stakes can be even higher. Here, expert advisers reveal why it’s never been more important for agribusiness owners to start planning for the next generation.

Melanie Perkins, CEO of online graphic design platform Canva, discusses her journey from Australian start-up to global success story.

Business View dips its lid to a family business celebrating its fiftieth anniversary.

Cape Grim has carved a definitive space in the premium beef market, offering a grass-fed, mature protein raised in an environment the CSIRO tests as amongst some of the world’s cleanest air.

Does focusing on staff satisfaction and building a reputation as a great place to work translate into bottom line benefits for companies? Analytics company SAS believes the answer is yes.

Cultivating fruit that’s sweet in taste, colour and consistency has positioned 2PH as a citrus market leader that can set its export price.

It’s 26 years since Michelle Melbourne experienced a ‘sliding doors moment’ that set her on the path to founding Intelledox, now a global software firm.

New laws will soon protect small businesses from unfair terms in standard form contracts. Philip Trinca, a partner at law firm Ashurst, discusses the impact of the changes.

What makes a successful entrepreneur? We asked a selection of recently interviewed business owners.

When succession planning, how do you recognise the on-farm contribution of children who’ve stayed working in the business? National Manager of Agribusiness Wealth at NAB, Bill Adams, illustrates how putting a dollar value on this ‘sweat equity’ can help explain estate planning decisions.

After 24 years in business Collette Dinnigan took the bold move of restructuring her business so she could focus on the purely creative elements of being a designer and devote more time to her young family. One year on, she reflects on her decision.

Keen to encourage young people to enter the sheep, meat and wool industry, Don and Pam Mudford changed the way they did business to better suit the next generation. Don opens up about his family’s commitment to breeding hardier sheep and the challenge of encouraging young people into farming.

Taking a career break to raise kids has been identified as the most significant barrier to having sufficient retirement savings and majority of survey participants (68%) have given little consideration to a major future financial setback, according to the latest survey findings.

Many things have changed since Malcolm Knight’s grandfather ran Golden Wattle farm, but the family’s commitment to the community is stronger than ever. Knight discusses the changes, the challenges, and a welcome trend for more young people to return to the family farm.

The Crothers family saw a bright future ahead in the cotton industry, but moving from livestock meant taking on a massive challenge. Douglas Crothers talks about storing a year’s supply of water, completely restructuring the farm, and the need to plan for a sound financial future.

Farmers looking to retire or play a less active role in the family business have a special set of considerations at tax time. Farmers are encouraged to investigate the most effective tax solutions and their longer term wealth creation.

Running a business with family members has its challenges and benefits. But Bart and James Cummings are proof that a cross-generational family business can work and, through their training partnership, it can survive and even thrive.

What thought have you given to the future of your business if suddenly you can no longer work or indeed function? There’s more to preparing for the future than just writing a will. Approximately 50 percent of Australians have prepared a will and only half again have addressed all the issues.

It’s never too early to get your practice ready for sale. As Paul Freeman, Chief Executive Officer of Medfin Finance, points out, potential purchasers look for the kind of well-run business that's also efficient and profitable for you. Here are his tips for getting it up to speed.

A business that depends on one person for its success is a business at risk - but stepping back is rarely easy, particularly for the founder of a family business. Bill Noye, Partner in charge of KPMG Private Enterprise in Brisbane, suggests ways to make the process as smooth as possible.

As the war for talent intensifies, business owners with an eye on the future are nurturing older workers. Michael Hyatt, Director, Human Capital Advisory at Deloitte Australia, discusses the benefits of maturity and the importance of harnessing skills and experience.

As owners of Ellerslie Hop Estate, the Crokes have been putting the flavour into beer for over 80 years. Managing Director Greg is the grandson of the founder and the son of the chairman - and they're June's featured family in the NAB Agribusiness calendar.

For business owners, the end of financial year is the time to get things in order. Here are 11 strategies that could help you build and protect your personal and business wealth in a tax-effective manner.

Do you know how much your business is worth? A valuation can provide a sound foundation for growth as well as help you to get the best possible outcome from a future sale or merger. Greg Hayes, Chairman of Hayes Knight National Group, explains how.

Skills shortages and an ageing population are affecting rural communities across Australia, highlighting the need to attract more young people to agribusiness. So what traits must young people have to carve a successful career in farming or agricultural services?

This week on Kochie’s Business Builders, founding partner of La Porchetta, Sara Pantaleo and NAB Business Banking Manager James Tickner discuss the importance of having a crisis management plan and what to consider when creating your own plan.

The New Year is a time to reflect and review – and that goes as much for your business as any other aspect of your life. That’s why NAB is encouraging farmers and those beyond the farm gate to spend some time now planning for 2013.

A major survey conducted by NAB Agribusiness found that farmers approaching retirement are far less certain about how and when they’ll transition out of the business compared to younger farmers. Read on for more survey findings

Businesses can't plan for every adversity but Italian restaurant franchise, La Porchetta has proved that a good crisis plan helps owners and employees deal with the worst of tragedies.

Currently working with family, or considering it? KeepCup CEO, Abigail Forsyth, who’s in business with her brother Jamie (both pictured), gives the scoop on how to make it work.

In the world of agribusiness, coping with adversity is often part of the job. However, when a serious accident or illness strikes, both the farm and family security are at risk unless steps have been taken to protect income and assets. “Because most farm businesses rely on family members to keep the productive unit running, […]

Self-managed superannuation can help you build personal wealth away from the farm. But you need to be aware of the rules.

No matter what the size of your business, it’s never too early to start securing a retirement nest egg and planning how to comfortably fund your future lifestyle.

Investing in assets away from your agribusiness can be a worthwhile strategy for diversifying risk. We outline some pointers to consider when diversifying off-farm to help reduce exposure to factors such as weather cycles and commodity price fluctuations.

A business’s most valuable asset comes in human form, in the expertise of owners and employees.

It’s said that the ideal time to plan to move out of your business is when you start it, but – in reality – most business owners’ eyes are not on the exit from day one. Deloitte partner Craig Holland, author of The Art of Business Succession, reports that fewer than 30 per cent of family […]

When it’s time to pass the family business baton on to the next generation, it’s vital to make sure that it’s a well-rehearsed and seamless transition. In any business, succession planning is critical to continuity and long-term success. But research suggests that in family businesses, this important area of planning is often neglected. Andrew Ward, […]